The Legal 500 Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Legal 500
The Legal 500 Podcast brings together insights from over 30 years of market-leading research and content, updates and advice from our editors, and appearances from influential members of the legal community.
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of Legal 500, speaks with Christina Blacklaws – chair of the Lawtech UK panel and former president of the Law Society in England and Wales – about the uses and abuses of artificial intelligence in the legal world, how technology will shape the legal profession, and the ideas that fell by the wayside.
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of Legal 500, speaks with Christina Blacklaws – former president of the Law Society of England and Wales and chair of the Lawtech UK panel – about her roles in pioneering legal practices, steering the profession through tumultuous times, and the evolution of the solicitors’ profession.
Harry Vercoe (MENA Editor at Legal 500) speaks with guests about the International Lawyers for Africa program and its impact on law firms across the globe.
Legal Business and Legal 500 data editor Ben Wheway speaks to Grant Thornton UK’s Tom Townson and Emma Young about the UK’s new corporate criminal offence of failure to prevent fraud, which coming into force on 1 September 2025. They discuss how prepared UK businesses really are and what steps companies must take now to put appropriate protections in place.
Will Tolcher, global Bar editor, speaks with Guy Morpuss KC – commercial barrister-turned-crime fiction author, about his journey from the Bar to the literary world, as well as the surprising cross-overs and parallels between the two worlds. A Trial in Three Acts by Guy Morpuss is out now (Viper, £16.99)
Barnaby Merrill speaks to Angelo Paparelli of Vialto Law US on the history of US immigration law, anti-immigration sentiment, and expected changes to the immigration regime during the second Trump administration
In a conversation recorded before the January 20th inauguration, Barnaby Merrill speaks to Mark Bini and Tom Suddath, partners at Reed Smith and former federal prosecutors, about what Donald Trump’s second term means for FCPA enforcement and the enaction of cross-border regulatory legislation more broadly.
Sophie Chan speaks to Alyssa Jarvis, Director of Mansfield & Strategic Innovations at Diversity Lab, and Jo Dooley, UK Head of DEI at A&O Shearman, about the process of Mansfield certification and its value to law firms. The panel discusses the challenges of measurable action on diversity, and the dangers of looking for a 'magic bullet' to the DEI issues affecting law firms.
Barnaby Merrill is joined by Joe Sellers, founder and co-chair of the Civil Rights & Employment team at Cohen Milstein. In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Joe explores one of its lesser-known provisions – Title VII, which outlawed discrimination on the basis of sex. Utilising case studies from throughout his career, Barnaby and Joe explore the development of anti-sex and gender discrimination law in the United States. This episode was recorded prior to Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 US presidential election.”
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of Legal 500, speaks with Rachael Muldoon, a member of Maitland Chambers, one of the Bar’s leading experts on crypto. In this episode, Rachael and Will discuss the potential of the blockchain - including the much-maligned NFT, differences in regulatory philosophy between the US and the UK, as well as the challenges in litigating to secure digital assets.
Will Tolcher, global Bar editor speaks with Lord Edward Garnier KC, a member of 4 Pump Court, about his twinned and intertwined careers in law and politics as one of England's leading defamation barristers, as well as a member of parliament for two and a half decades and Solicitor General for England and Wales.
This episode makes reference to the case of Dr Mike Lynch; it was recorded prior to his death earlier this year.
In the first-ever live episode of the Legal 500 podcast, global Bar editor Will Tolcher speaks with Alex Gunning KC, the chair of Combar, to discuss international practice at the commercial Bar, the relationship between in-house, private practice and the self-employed Bar, and the talent pathway from academia through pupillage to tenancy.
Will Tolcher, global Bar editor of Legal 500, speaks with Amrit Kaur Dhanoa, chair of the Young Barristers Committee and a member of 4-5 Gray's Inn Square about legal education in England and Wales and issues affecting emerging talent at the Bar today.
Barnaby Merrill speaks to Katherine Mateo, a counsel in Olshan’s litigation team, about her career, including her work as a member of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion committee. Also discussed are the challenges of a firm-wide approach to D&I, and the importance of firm culture in long-term planning.
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of Legal 500, speaks with Jacob Turner, a member of Fountain Court Chambers, one of the Bar’s leading experts on artificial intelligence. In this, the first half of a two-part episode, Jacob and Will discuss what lawyers need to know about the fundamental technologies of AI, and take a look at the global landscape of competition in this space.
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of Legal 500, speaks with Jacob Turner, a member of Fountain Court Chambers, one of the Bar’s leading experts on artificial intelligence. In this, the second half of a two-part episode, Jacob and Will discuss use cases for AI, the philosophy behind different regulatory approaches, and how common law adapts to emerging technologies.
Sophie Chan, Legal 500’s Deputy Editor for the UK regions and EMEA, speaks to Stephanie Hamon, Head of Legal Operations Consulting at Norton Rose Fulbright, about her role at the firm, the importance of having law-adjacent, in-house expertise at a law firm, and the future of legal ops more broadly.
Sophie Chan, deputy editor for the UK regions at Legal 500, speaks to Guy Longhurst, managing partner of Ellisons Solicitors, about his legal career and the challenges of maintaining access to a legal career across different levels of educational attainment in the UK.
Barnaby speaks to two members of the corporate team at Romano Law: Rishi Sehgal, a corporate partner, and Robert Kleinfeldt, a senior corporate counsel. Rishi and Robert discuss the environment for start-ups and small businesses in the United States, and the challenges of advising growth clients.
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of The Legal 500, speaks with Tana Adkin KC, chair of the Criminal Bar Association and a King's Counsel at 15NBS. In this episode, Tana and Will discuss the state of the criminal justice system in England and Wales from courts to prisons, the health of the criminal Bar, English criminal law's adjustment to a post-COVID and higher-technology world, private prosecutions, and the interaction of the criminal law and the media.
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of The Legal 500, speaks with Sir Max Hill KC, director of public prosecutions from November 2018 to October 2023. In this, the second part of a two-part episode, Sir Max and Will discuss Sir Max's term as DPP, covering the challenges of running the Crown Prosecution Service through lockdowns and the interaction between public and private prosecutions, as well as his new role at King & Spalding.
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of The Legal 500, speaks with Sir Max Hill KC, director of public prosecutions from November 2018 to October 2023. In this, the first part of a two-part episode, Sir Max and Will discuss Sir Max's career as a self-employed barrister, covering his route to the Bar, leadership of the Criminal Bar Association and involvement in terrorism and murder cases.
Barnaby Merrill speaks to Jason Levin, an outplacement, career management, business development coach and speaker, and the founder and CEO of ReadySetLaunch.
Barnaby and Jason discussed issues including the importance of relationships, the art of maintaining weak connections, and how introverts can succeed in what’s seen as an extrovert dominated-world.
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of The Legal 500, speaks to Liz Dux, chambers director of Littleton Chambers. This, the second part of a two-part episode, covers Liz's move a career in chambers management from partnership in the solicitors profession. Will and Liz discuss the differences between chambers and law firms, leadership over a clerks room, managing the self-employed nature of barristers and the challenges of running an employment set during the unprecedented uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of The Legal 500, speaks to Liz Dux, chambers director of Littleton Chambers. This, the first part of a two-part episode, covers Liz's career before the world of chambers management: private practice as a solicitor, becoming an equity partner at Russell Jones and Walker, which became part of Slater and Gordon, focussing on personal injury work including for survivors of child sexual abuse by prominent figures such as Jimmy Savile. Will and Liz discuss her route to the legal profession, the challenges of team leadership when handling challenging work, and handling litigation in the public eye. This episode includes frank discussion of her role in high-profile child sexual abuse cases.
Will Tolcher, Global Bar Editor of The Legal 500, speaks to Sara George, Sidley Austin's lead crisis management and strategic response lawyer in Europe and vice-chair of the Employed Barristers Committee of the Bar Council. Will and Sara discuss Sara's journey from a criminal chambers in London, through the Financial Services Authority and elite English firms through to partnership at a US firm, as well as the role of employed barristers across public service and the private sector in the UK.
Barnaby speaks to Jeetander Dulani, an antitrust partner at Stinson LLP, about recent and upcoming trends in antitrust law, including the Biden Administration’s new merger rules, the policy of 'litigation over regulation' amid shifts towards alternative theories of harm in merger challenges, debate over the policy of 'woke antitrust', and diversity in the US antitrust bar.
Will Tolcher, global Bar editor of The Legal 500, speaks to Iain Quirk KC, a King's Counsel at Essex Court Chambers and co-founder of pinqDR - a law tech start-up aiming to bring the same legal underpinning of heavyweight international arbitration to a broader class of disputes through innovations in technology and arbitral rules.
The second part of this two-part podcast delves into the career trajectory of self-employed barristers as a foundation for launching law tech start-ups. Our discussion extends to various topics such as law tech and litigants in person, remote and paperless hearings, and the international prospects of pinqDR. Additionally, we explore managing disputes throughout the lifespan of a business relationship.
Will Tolcher, global bar editor of The Legal 500, speaks to Iain Quirk KC, a King's Counsel at Essex Court Chambers and co-founder of pinqDR - a lawtech start-up aiming to bring the same legal underpinning of heavyweight international arbitration to a broader class of disputes through innovations in technology and arbitral rules.
The first of this two-part episode looks at Iain's route to silk at the commercial bar, the genesis of pinqDR, how its rules work for users and the use of generative AI at the bar.
Max Hammer speaks to Angela Jackman KC, a partner at Irwin Mitchell, about the current challenges of the SEND framework and on government proposals for reform. Angela has a wealth of experience in special educational needs, having represented parents and young people in this area for over two decades. She co-authors the Legal Action Group education law updates and regularly speaks at public events on education law. Over the years, Angela has contributed to numerous responses to government consultations on education law.
Barnaby speaks to Agnieszka Fryszman, head of human rights law at Cohen Milstein, about difficulties in holding companies to account between the US and other jurisdictions, levelling the playing field between victims and perpetrators, and how aspiring lawyers can balance work in corporate law with representing victims of human rights abuses, modern slavery, and other violations of liberty. Agnieszka is a recognized expert and leader in the field of human rights law, regularly litigating cases against corporate giants and foreign powers.
Barnaby speaks to Lora Krsulich, a litigation associate at Susman Godfrey, about her experience of entering law school and the legal profession as a first-generation immigrant to the United States, and broader issues of socioeconomic access to the law, from a practitioner and client perspective.
In a new episode of the Legal 500 Podcast, Barnaby speaks to Megan Sense, co-founder of stage, a business development & marketing venture focused on relationships, revenue, and growth for legal services. Barnaby and Megan discuss her departure from a BigLaw business development position and the importance of an empathy-driven approach to building personal and professional relationships with clients.
Barnaby speaks to Eric Staal, Vice President for Global Markets at Lex Mundi, about challenges facing GCs this year, including broad issues relating to stakeholderism, internal and external ESG pressures, and ongoing impacts from the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Barnaby speaks to William Peake, Managing Partner at Harneys, about his career and recent appointment to the role, promotion of healthy law firm culture on a global basis, and the importance of progressive leadership.
In the first part of a two-part series on social mobility issues in the law, Barnaby Merrill speaks to David Ampaw of DLA Piper, Polly Richard of Travers Smith, and Prisca Wharton of White & Case, all prominent voices in the British legal community on social mobility, about the journey each lawyer has taken in their life and career, issues they continue to face, and the potential for positive change moving forward.
In the second part of a two-part series on social mobility issues in the law, Barnaby Merrill continues his conversation with David Ampaw of DLA Piper, Polly Richard of Travers Smith, and Prisca Wharton of White & Case, all prominent voices in the British legal community on social mobility, about the journey each lawyer has taken in their life and career, issues they continue to face, and the potential for positive change moving forward.
Barnaby speaks to Aarash Daroodi, General Counsel and Executive Vice-President at Fender Guitars. Aarash has an incredible life story, having left the US and lived in multiple countries by the age of ten, and since taking on his role at Fender, has sought to disrupt and redefine the role of a general counsel and the relationship between law firms and their corporate clients. Barnaby and Aarash discuss DEI initiatives within firms, the concept of “business intelligence”, and what both in-house and private practive recruiters can do to recruit and train a more diverse collection of lawyers, representative of society today
Following her research of the healthcare sector for the Legal 500 United States, Sophie Chan speaks to Mark Reagan from Hooper Lundy & Bookman, P.C. about preserving access to healthcare services, the shift to a value-based care system, and the importance of daily activities in end of life care.
In the first episode of 2023, Barnaby speaks to Lori Mihalich-Levin, the founder and CEO of Mindful Return, an organisation that offers training and support to new parents in their transition back to work. Barnaby and Lori discuss the formation of Mindful Return, the ‘leaky pipeline’ of career progression for working mothers, and what law firms should be doing to both ease new parents back into work and support them with continued career progression.
Barnaby Merrill speaks to John Quinn, the founder of Quinn Emmanuel and one of the most high-profile, successful trial lawyers in the world, on his firm’s success, work on behalf of Ukraine in the ECHR, the future of high-stakes business litigation, the increasing importance of data, and working practices in a post-Covid world.
Legal Business' senior reporter Tom Baker sat down with Freeths' disputes partner James Hartley to relive the headline-grabbing Post Office litigation. On the agenda: slippery litigation tactics, the ins and outs of disputes funding, and the personal toll the scandal inflicted upon postmasters up and down the country.
Barnaby sits down with Charlotte Mills and Jen Goodwin from the Jackson Lees corporate and commercial team to discuss the skills (legal and non-legal) lawyers need to successfully act for family businesses and SMEs, as well as the training offered to lawyers within the Jackson Lees team to develop these skills.
Following Pride Month, David Koehne speaks to Andy Lewis, co-founding member of O:PEN, a new pensions sector network that seeks to connect LGBTQ+ pensions professionals. Lewis talks about the experience of setting up the network in 2019, discusses the importance of real diversity and inclusion in the workplace and the benefits sector-wide networks can bring to their members.
Barnaby Merrill speaks to TLT partners Esther Smith and Maria Connolly about ESG, and how firms can show leadership on all aspects of the topic both as legal advisors and as businesses themselves. The firm was a sponsor of Legal 500’s Enterprise GC conference, where Maria spoke as part of the Leading With Integrity roundtable on ESG issues.
Barnaby Merrill speaks to Jazz Hampton, CEO and Head of Legal at Turnsignl, an app that connects motorists directly to an attorney after they are stopped by police. Jazz speaks about the origins of the app amidst the chilling scenes of the George Floyd killing, the regulatory issues behind its creation, and the broader topic of legal tech as a solution to racial and socioeconomic inequity. Turnsignl is available in Minnesota, Georgia, and California, with more information available at its site: https://www.turnsignl.com/
David Koehne is joined by Alesya Pavlynska from Ukrainian firm Arzinger, Anna Hałas-Krawczyk from Greenberg Traurig’s Warsaw office and Katie Newbury from Kingsley Napley in London to discuss the issues facing civilians displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and thinking about how the international legal community is getting involved.
Useful resources:
Multilaw Ukraine Crisis Support Centre: https://www.multilaw.com/Multilaw/Ukraine_Crisis_Support_Centre.aspx
UA Support:
https://www.ua.support/
Barnaby Merrill speaks to Tony Randle, head of Shoosmiths Connected Services, and Sarah Holford, Head of Legal and Compliance at Scania and a client of Shoosmiths. The panel discusses developments in client services on the law firm side and the evolution in what clients are asking from their legal advisors.
Barnaby Merrill is joined by three barristers at Red Lion Chambers: Richard Sutton QC, Barnaby Jameson QC, and Jade Bucklow, to discuss combining life at the Bar with other pastimes, as well as the wider importance of work-life balance in the demanding world of law.
With the launch of the EMEA edition of The Legal 500 Global Green Guide, Barnaby chats to Anna Baubock, editor of the Green Guide and The Legal 500 US about how the Green Guide came about, the findings from the inaugural edition, and how firms and in-house counsel can get involved, as well as plans for the Guide moving forward.
Check out the Global Green Guide: https://www.legal500.com/global-green-guide/
Barnaby Merrill sat down with Kokila Alagh of KARM Legal Consultants in the UAE to discuss blockchain technology, and its applications for the future of the healthcare sector.
Barnaby Merrill sits down with Aisha Choudhury from Bates Wells to discuss impacts of Brexit on immigration law, and how these changes can be met by employers.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of pro bono organisation Advocate, Bar Editor Will Tolcher sat down with an all-star panel featuring Advocate CEO Rebecca Willkie, Andrew de Mestre QC, and Lady Justice Elisabeth Laing of the Court of Appeal. The panel discussed their experiences with pro bono, work with Advocate, and their thoughts on the benefits of pro bono work for legal practitioners.
Barnaby Merrill speaks to Pinsent Masons funds partners Ian Warner and Oliver Crowley on the growth of ESG and social impact funds, and the difficulty in defining a ‘true’ impact fund. Ian and Oliver also offer their thoughts on the importance of diversity in the investment funds sector, and the work done by their firm to promote the issue within the space.
In today's episode, Bar editor Will Tolcher speaks with Lord Nicholas Wilson, justice of the United Kingdom Supreme Court until 2020, about his varied career, the challenges of carrying out the judicial office remotely, sitting on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and his new role as a commercial arbitrator, practicing out of Fountain Court Chambers.
Change is afoot in the legal industry. In today’s episode, senior researcher David Koehne and Marcin Serafin of Polish firm Maruta Wachta discuss ‘the law firm of the future’ and what the increasing demand for innovation, being driven by evermore sophisticated clients, means for the way the industry operates.
This week’s episode of The Legal 500 podcast is hosted by The Lex 100, guide to legal education and training in the UK, and is all about solicitor training during the pandemic and beyond. Hosted by Peter Tweedley, Editor of The Lex 100, it features an interview with Victoria Widdows, Director of International Legal Recruiting and Development at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld. Join us for a discussion of the challenges of maintaining training opportunities for aspiring solicitors, continuing high quality firm practise, handling the rapid transformation of the legal workplace, and more.
In a slight break from our normal schedule, this week's episode features an extract from our recent webinar discussion on disputes in the Gulf Cooperation Counsel (GCC) states. This lively discussion takes in the views of Marcus Khoury, senior counsel at Consolidated Contractors Company, one of the largest construction companies globally and the leading contractor in the GCC, Sean Yates, general counsel of China State Construction Engineering Corporation in the Middle East, Robert Stephen, registrar of DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre and partners representing Horizon & Co law firm, including managing partner Ali Ismael Al Zarooni.
Over recent months the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated chambers’ marketing strategies. Keating’s Marie Sparkes, Wilberforce’s Hayley Eustace, and Old Square’s Phil Desmondez talk about the history and future of marketing at the Bar, including webinars, social media, and – yes – directories, while UK Bar editor John van der Luit-Drummond offers some best practice advice on chambers submissions.
This week's bonus episode of The Legal 500 podcast is all about social mobility at the Bar. Join Red Lion Chambers' Joanna Hardy, 5 St Andrew's Hill's Alexandra Wilson, Essex Court Chambers' Rick Hoyle, and Trinity Chambers' Craig Vickers as they discuss the challenges facing wannabe barristers from non-traditional backgrounds and how chambers can ensure a more diverse membership in the years ahead.
'Re-engineering current models to drive better results': in part two of our series with Susan Hackett, CEO of Legal Executive Leadership, Susan and David move away from the hypothetical and discuss how to improve existing models for in-house legal departments.
'Defining an ideal in-house legal business model': on the first of two episodes with Susan Hackett, CEO of Legal Executive Leadership, David asks what the in-house legal function looks like in an ideal world.
On the second of two episodes with MOSAIC Collective, founders Emma Sharpe and Claire Debney speak about the MOSAIC Mood Index, an essential insight into the mood of the profession.
On the first of two episodes with MOSAIC Collective, David speaks with founders Emma Sharpe and Claire Debney about their commitment to openness, mental wellbeing and challenging the status quo in the legal industry.
On Episode 11 of The Legal 500 Podcast, David hands the mic over to GC Magazine's Harveen Kaur. Harveen speaks with Simon Lee, head of legal, governance and risk at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), about the challenges Covid-19 has brought to the natural world, and how lockdown has affected ZSL London Zoo's research projects and the animals it looks after. Also speaking is a more famous David – Sir David Attenborough. If you would like to support ZSL's work, please consider donating.
On the second bonus episode of The Legal 500 Podcast, UK Bar editor John van der Luit-Drummond starts his series of conversations with leading and up-and-coming practitioners on the issues facing chambers and their members. First off, he speaks about the impact of Covid-19 on international arbitration. Joining him are Hall of Famer Philippa Charles, partner and head of international arbitration at Stewarts, Owen Lawrence, CEO of the International Arbitration Centre, Andrew Stevens, a junior barrister at 4 Pump Court, and Jern-Fei Ng QC of Essex Court Chambers.
On the tenth episode of The Legal 500 Podcast, David speaks with Dana Denis-Smith, founder and CEO of Obelisk Support and creator of The First 100 Years project, about gender equality, the importance of quotas, female entrepreneurship, and how to be an ally.
On the first bonus episode of The Legal 500 Podcast, guest contributor Barnaby Merrill takes a deep dive into the Baltic legal market and its response to Covid-19 with Laimonas Skibarka, Managing Partner of Sorainen. Watch this space for more bonus episodes and regional insights from The Legal 500 Team.
On Episode 9 of The Legal 500 Podcast, David speaks with Brad Karp – "the hardest working man in law", chair of Paul Weiss since 2008 and Legal 500 Hall of Fame litigator – about leadership in lockdown, affirmative action, and the firm's recent acquisitions.
Episode 8 of The Legal 500 Podcast focuses on our partnership with the Billable Hour campaign. Founder Sean Jones QC speaks about the campaign, where it started and how to help, and David is joined by Save the Children's humanitarian director Gareth Owen OBE, who details the urgent causes supported by your invaluable donations.
On episode 7 of The Legal 500 Podcast, David speaks with senior members of the clerking community about modernisation at the Bar and the importance of listening to the client.
On Episode 6 of The Legal 500 Podcast, David Burgess speaks with Jeff Davis, Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, about perfectionism and openness in the legal profession.
Episode 5 of The Legal 500 Podcast continues David's conversation with Deborah Farone and Yolanda Cartusciello about law firm marketing, partner expectations and innovation during the pandemic.
On Episode 4 of The Legal 500 Podcast, David Burgess speaks with Deborah Farone and Yolanda Cartusciello about the importance of marketing in the age of coronavirus.
On episode 3 of The Legal 500 Podcast, David Burgess speaks to UK Solicitors editor Georgina Stanley about the UK research cycle, what measures researchers are taking in these uncertain times, and what she has brought to the publication since taking on the editor role two years ago.
On Episode 1 of The Legal 500 Podcast, David Burgess presents an extract of the IBA Webinar 'Personal Tales from the Wild Side: The Lawyer's Survival Guide to Covid-19'.
On the second episode of The Legal 500 Podcast, Publishing Director David Burgess speaks with editors Ella Marshall (EMEA), Tim Girven (Latin America) and Ian Deering (USA) about research in the age of Coronavirus.